On Wednesday, Merz pushed through a non-binding motion in favour of an immigration crackdown with support from the AfD, breaking with Germany’s tradition of consensus-driven, centrist politics. Many fear it will only further embolden the far right.

A Rome court on Friday ordered a group of migrants detained in camps built in Albania to be transferred to Italy, sources said, dealing a fresh blow to a plan by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to curb irregular sea arrivals.

Friedrich Merz, the front-runner to become Germany’s next chancellor, relied on votes from the far-right AfD to push an anti-migration motion through parliament.

Merz, now 69, represents a sharp rightward turn from Merkel’s centrist legacy. His campaign motto is “A Germany we can be proud of again,” but the slogan, argues Hartwig Pautz, a political scientist at the University of the West of Scotland, is set to collide with some very harsh realities.

Friedrich Merz, hitherto favourite to become Germany's next chancellor, suffered a blow three weeks before a national election on Friday when 12 of his own legislators refused to support him in backing a migration bill that thereby failed to pass in parliament.

German opposition leader and Christian Union parties floor leader Friedrich Merz speaks after the debate and a voting about migration at the German parliament Bundestag.

Germany's conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz, frontrunner in polls to become the next chancellor ... Germany's traditional core EU partner France but also with Poland and Italy, led by far-right premier Giorgia Meloni. Speaking at the World ...

Germany's election frontrunner says Europeans are waiting for Germany to take the lead on dealing with the new American president.

The CDU party chief, who leads in the polls to become the next chancellor, said he would collect votes from all parties to push his five-point migration plan through parliament despite Chancellor Olaf Scholz's strong opposition.

Germany’s conservatives have introduced plans for tougher migration measures, with votes from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party potentially giving their leader, Friedrich Merz, the parliamentary majority he needs to sharply reduce migration.

Italy is in favour of Saudi Arabia joining the GCAP fighter jet programme, which currently involves Italy, Britain and Japan, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Monday.